Maintenance September

At the beginning of September, it is still summer in the pond. But towards the end of the month, the plants’ decay begins to show. Thin out the oxygen plants and remove spent flowers and brown leaves from the water lilies and marsh plants. Special pond tools are useful for pruning. With the Duo Pond Tool, you first cut the stems. Then use the grippers to remove the plant parts from the pond. First lay the pruned plant material on the pond’s edge for a while, so that the critters in it can return to the pond.

Also, remove any thread algae and check whether the pond filter still provides sufficient water. Remove dirt from the pump and filter. Only in the case of heavy soiling can you decide to rinse the filter materials. Do not do this under the tap but in a container filled with pond water. Filter materials such as Japanese mats and filter lava are the breeding ground for water-purifying bacteria. Maintain the bacteria colony by rinsing carefully and always keeping the filter material wet.

Raising the GH value

Decaying and decomposing aquatic plants release so much CO2 that acidification of the pond environment is lurking. The GH value must be sufficiently high for the excess CO2 to be bound in the water. Keep a close eye on the joint hardness and carbonate hardness during this period. Test these values regularly and increase the water hardness with GH Plus and KH Plus. It is important to enter the winter with a GH above 10°DH and a KH above 8°DH. The chance of acidification of the pond is then minimal.

ADVICE:

Summer is drawing to a close. Enjoy your pond even longer with floating or underwater lighting, even when the sun has already set. It is easy to make a small mistake in the dark. An illuminated pond prevents wet feet!

New pond plans

For pond lovers, the holiday period is ideal to get new ideas for their own pond. And once the idea is born, plans can be made for its implementation. Autumn is the best time to create a new pond or renovate an existing one. The water biotope then has 4 to 5 months to build up a biological balance. This is important for clear water and good plant development in spring. When spring arrives, you can immediately enjoy a beautiful clear water feature.

ADVICE

Visits to botanical gardens and parks at home and abroad are a source of inspiration for pond design or renovation.